Coming Soon...

Sorry guys...been a busy week at work and home. I plan to write about the following over the next week:

1. Finished the book Infidel - amazing story and want to share it
2. Comments on economy and thoughts on making it better
3. Trip to Austin TX...

Holla at me!!!

Great Response By Barack

Barack caught some heat for saying the people of Pennsylviana are bitter...I won't get into the situation much...but I will say his response was excellent. Please check it out here...

Barack's Different Angle on Iraq

I wanted to share this article with you guys....it discuss the war in Iraq and more specifically the hearings that took place on Capital Hill.

Hillary Clinton and John McCain sit on the the Armed Services Committee while Barack Obama sits on the Foreign Relations Committee. Clinton took the stand you would expect...the policy is failed and must be reversed. McCain took the stand you would expect...we are succeeding and must stay the course. General Petraeus and the administration are more in tuned with McCain for sure and are able to easily ignore the attacks that Hillary made.

Barack took a different approach. It was a bit more calculated and seem to almost be in sync with the current secretary of defense's goal (which is in contrary to the Administrations). Time.com says it best here: Time.com

Political Naming Conventions

the country that politicians and activist alike are forced to run from the liberal label for fear of being defined before they even speak. As such, I’ve taken to calling my self a progressive. It just sounds nice! In my area of the country few people identify with what a progressive means so it gives me an opportunity to explain. This has worked great until you go to an area (like San Francisco) where the term is well known and easily defined.

An excerpt from Wikipedia explains this issue.
The term "progressive" is today often used in place of "liberal". Although the two are related in some ways, they are separate and distinct political ideologies. American progressives tend to support interventionist economics: they advocate income redistribution, and they oppose the growing influence of corporations. Conversely, European and Australian progressives tend to be more pro-business, and will often have policies that are soft on taxation of large corporations. Progressives are in agreement on an international scale with left-liberalism in that they support organized labor and trade unions, they usually wish to introduce a living wage, and they often support the creation of a universal health care system. Yet progressives tend to be more concerned with environmentalism than mainstream liberals, and are often more skeptical of the government, positioning themselves as whistleblowers and advocates of governmental reform. Finally, liberals are more likely to support the Democratic Party in America and the Labour party in Europe and Australia, while progressives tend to feel disillusioned with any two-party system, and vote more often for third-party candidates.

So…yeah…not actually a progressive. Need a new tag and I’m open for suggestions.

Recent Trip to Cali - 10 Days Late

I wrote this 10 days ago...so forgive me for its lateness :)

San Francisco - >
I’ve spent the last week in California enjoying the weather and break from the Chicago cold snap that seemed to never end. My old college roommate from IU lives in San Francisco and on average I travel to Bay area to hang out twice a year. My goal for this year is 4 or 5 times. I love the vibe, the weather, the people.

I've grown to twice Doug's size

When I arrived Thursday I wasn’t sure what to expect. I wasn’t in town for business, for a change, and just was on hang out mode. Day one didn’t disappoint as we attended a “Gala” at the old opera house called Toast to the City. It was a big wine tasting event that took up four levels. I’ve become a big wine drinker over the last several years so I was in heaven. Good times for sure…

Oakland - >
I don’t go to Bay Area for Doug…rather not just Doug. The man has great friends. I’ve easily met and befriended 10 or great people in the area through my friendship with Doug. There is a couple I absolutely love to hang out with when I’m in the area. They have the right combination for hosting and entertaining. They live in Oakland (Hills) and have an amazing house that overlooks down town Oakland, Bay Bridge, and down town SF.

Good times with more wine

It’s AMAZING!!! We spent the entire day Sunday at their place watching basketball, drinking beer, talking shit, drinking the best margaritas EVER, playing football, playing volley ball, grilling, and having some classic wine. It was easily one of my best days in a long line of great Bay Area days. [Sidenote…the Margaritas are really good, but I recommend the 2nd marg for pros ;)] [Second side note…yours truly was the only two time winner in the games on the day…holla at ya boy!!!]

Fresno - >
Plain and simple…I have some great friends. I really do. My home girl moved to Fresno about 3 years ago and I have not come to see her yet. She even came to meet me to hangout in Bay Area so the pressure was building for me to come down…well I was won over and made the three and half hour drive from San Francisco to Fresno. Now, I hear nothing but crappy things about Fresno: “Arm pit of California” or “I’m sorry WHY you are going to Fresno”.

"It only took your ass three years to visit!"

Well, I went and the place was beautiful…everything was lush and the temperature was great, my friends house rocked…and it EXCEEDED my expectations by far. I had a great time and will likely have to come back this year yet. More importantly I got to spend meaningful friend that has become a sister to me…good stuff there!

More Unearthed Hillary Info

This is similar to my previous text...but its just the video documentation.

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

Clinton to McCain - "Pu$$y's Get Caught!" - Diaries of a Warrior

Surely I jest...but I'm struck with the ease that politicians are prone to hyperbole and out right lies. Hillary's account of her Bosnia trip, explained in great detail on multiple occasions, is a classic example of this. However, not for the reason you would think...This is what "THEY" wanted you to believe:


However, I recently came across some top secret documentation compliments of our friends at The Daily Kos

The True Account:

As bullets clawed the air around us and screams echoed down the rubble-strewn tarmac, I felt almost peaceful.

It was a simple mission, they had told me - get in, shake a few hands and mouth a few platitudes, get out. Simple. Yeah.

Things had started going wrong while we were still in the air and only gotten worse from there. So here we were, pinned down, choking on the acrid tang of cordite and the heady scent of human blood. The mission was even simpler now: survive. Whatever the cost, survive.

There was a grunt and a clatter of equipment as Sinbad threw himself down at my side. Sweat glistened on his bare arms, and I could see tendons contracting and relaxing as he squeezed off bursts from his M14. The motion was hypnotic, like a snake about to strike. Perhaps, when all this was over-

No. Concentrate. Focus on the mission. Survive.

A shout from my left drew my head around. Sheryl Crow, guitar still strapped to her back, had taken cover behind a haphazard pile of decaying corpses. Her hair, once lustrous, now lank and greasy, was held back from her eyes by a dirty red headband. Her slim nostrils flared in the dirt-smeared oval of her face, seeking air free of the funeral taint shrouding the airfield. Still, I saw a fierce exultation in her expression that I knew mirrored my own.

Her lithe, nimble fingers stroked the top of an M67 frag grenade, strumming a chord of impending doom. With one quick, economical movement, she plucked the pin free and sent the deadly payload sailing toward the ridge concealing our enemies. My eyes traced the arc, willing it to fly true, to rain death on-

"There!" Sinbad shouted. "The convoy!"

I wrenched my gaze in the direction he was pointing. The boom of the grenade registered only faintly, suddenly unimportant. Thirty yards dead ahead was the real target: the armored convoy, offering safety, shelter, survival. If we could reach it.

"Follow me!" Sinbad roared, levering himself to his feet. As I prepared to follow, a high-pitched whine arrowed across my eardrums and warm, sticky rain splashed my face.

I forced myself to look, already knowing what I would see. The big man lay there, crumpled, the left side of his head a nightmare maze of blood, brains and tight curls of yellowish-orange hair.

Time to mourn later. Survive.

I juked to my left, darting and weaving, somehow making it to Sheryl's position. Her eyes were wide, shock and fear clouding their emerald depths. "Is he-"

"Gone," I snapped. "We have to move. Now."

For a moment I wondered if I would have to leave her behind, but then her jaw tightened and she nodded sharply. "Stay behind me," she said with a brief squeeze of my hand, then she was up and running, moving like a deer.

I followed, matching her as best I could with the mindless insect hum of lead bees filling my ears and the cracked tarmac clutching at my heels. We ran, time stretching, flattening, the convoy impossibly distant, a cruel mirage, too far, too far . . .

And then, somehow, we were almost there. We had made it, we were going to -

A flat crack and the mournful twang of a guitar string. Sheryl fell, scarlet-splashed splinters from the shattered guitar seeming to hang in the air.

I stopped. Men were flooding out of the brush and streaming around the cars. One approached me, smirking, rifle held casually across his body, smoke still rising from the barrel.

"Every day a winding road," he said in heavily accented English, shrugging a shoulder toward Sheryl's body. He stepped closer, almost close enough to touch. "End of road for her today. And you."

Still smirking, he began to raise the rifle. I lunged forward, freed the ka-bar concealed under my pantsuit, and buried it to the hilt in his chest. He grunted, stiffened, and then slid backwards, the knife making a greedy slurping sound as it pulled free.

The other rebels froze, momentarily stunned. There were a lot of them - too many, surely - but it didn't matter. One day, I knew, I would be telling this story to rapt audiences as I made my inevitable march to the Presidency. Would this ragged group of smelly goatfuckers be the ones to stop me? Would they?

I raised the blade to my lips, licked it clean, and began to laugh.

Survive. Whatever the cost, survive.

Reflections of a Kite Runner

I just finished the book Kite Runner a story about the turmoil and struggle of Afghani people over the last 30 years. I love books and become deeply engrossed in the stories that I read. This one is no different and I identified with the main character, Amir, as he confronted his fears and history head on. I want to tell more...but shouldn't. It is an amazing book that I highly recommend.

However its after books like this that I become very sensitive to the global struggle. From Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Somali, Ethiopia, Liberia, Tibet, and on and on...there is a fight just to LIVE. As I sit in a coffee shop in San Francisco I'm overwhelmed by blessed life I live and realize that I am in the minority and most people aren't this fortunate. My heart and mind is with those who are in the struggle...



SeeqPod - Playable Search

Back For More Thought

Sorry for the prolonged break in blogging...I have like 2 readers...but I'm dedicated to those two readers!!! :) I know the blogs I read I expect to be updated a few times a day so...I have a long way to go!

I am in the midst of a major travel spurt. I made a quick stop to the NYC to say hey to some friends (old/new) and then went on to Boston. One of the clients I had to see was in Portsmouth, NH and I couldn't help but notice how beutiful and scenic the area was. Three people who used to work for me are from the New England area (Aubrey, Robby, and Kevin) and I wondered why they would ever leave given the beauty. The church on the side is a photo take from Portsmouth. There is a trade off...

Diversity...the people I met were crazy friendly and helpful; the scenery was great, and the food amazing (Who knew New Englanders could cook seafood - - -kidding). But I begin to search around for people of color...any color. As great as the place looked and people were...there was little to no diversity. I begin to wonder about the trade offs of a place like that and if I could live there given my love for people and diversity. Probably not today...but ask me again in about 10 years. :)

Demise of the Democrats

The Democratic Party is working to kill itself. This self destructive pattern is brought on by old guard loyalist within the party, historically weak national governance, and a power hungry / win at all cost family with a track record of setting the Democrats back.

Listen, I'm a progressive. I believe we have a chance to create a new progressive majority. I will talk about this in a subsequent blog, but first let me tackle the factions I see killing the Democratic Party.

Old Guard Party Loyalist
There is an energy that has been building over the last 2 years that have swept the Progressives (Democrats) into front and center as the national party. It began in the election of 2006 where the Dems took control of Congress and has continued during this most recent election cycle positioning them for a realistic chance at winning the Presidency with either a Women or African-American. This movement has been fueled by young voters, independents ready for change, and a grass roots movement that has been gaining a strategic advantage over the Republicans for the last FIVE years. However, Old Guard Party Veterans are loyal to those that helped them along the way. Its this old loyalty that is fueling Clintons campaign to some extent where by delegates committed to her before the race formally began and now are walking in lock step. The Clinton backers range from the Ed Rendall (Governor PA), Evan Bayh (Sen. IN), and most recently John Murtha (Congress PA). I understand that these old school veterans of the party have to display some commitment to those that have been to battle with them in the past. Its to be expected and commended to a point. However, we are now at a point where party and country loyalty have to supersede individual loyalty. More to come later on this thought.

Historically Weak National Leadership
Since losing the Presidential race of 2000, the Dems have struggled to find a national leader to rally behind. Thru the weak leadership of Terry McAuliffe former head of the DNC (2001-2005 and current Clinton Sr. Advisor) The dems managed to lose two congressional elections, one presidency, and countless statewide elections. It was pathetic. The spineless leadership of Dick Gephardt and Tom Daschle (current Obama National Co-Chair) leading a minority congress that was unwilling to stand up to the republicans. Now we have Howard Dean. The election of 2006 was won in spite of Dean and NOT because of him. It would be fairer to say that the Republicans lost the election rather than Dems winning it because they simply became too drunk with power. Dean needs to simply stand up and calm down the rhetoric that has come up in this campaign. He needs to act in the best interest of the party and he has been unwilling. He needs to say emphatically that MI and FL lost their respective voice in the national primary, not because of him, but because their arrogant leadership attempted to break rules that the other 48 states abided by. But don't count on any Democratic leader to stand up...they excel at being quiet.

Power Hungry / Damn The Party Family
Listen, I liked the Clintons as much as the next person. They happen to come to power at the right time and enjoyed a largely successful presidency. The economy boomed not necessarily because of Clinton, but he did a good job of not screwing it up. However, he damanged the party immensely. He galvanized the Republicans into a dominate majority, he caused the Dems to lose control of congress for the first time in 37 years, and he generally screwed Al Gores chances to win the Presidency because of the scandals that he fostered. Now we have a situation of race baiting, declaring that John McCain is more fit than Obama, and generally sticking around too long. Although the Dems enjoyed a huge lead over all their Repub opponents initially, this lead has all be disappeared over the continuation of the Democratic contest. Hillary is not going to catch up to Barack in Pledged delegates, but its her hope to batter him enough that the super delegates give her the nomination. Real smart.

More to come.